The travels of ibn batuta

CHAPTER XXI [India to the Indonesian Archipelago]
 
AFTER 
this, we sailed with the vessel, which had waited for us, to the Maabar districts. 
But when we had made half the voyage, the wind rose upon us, and we were near 
drowning. We
 
then cut down our mast, and every moment expected death. Providence, 
however, was favorable to us; for there came boats from the infidel inhabitants of the 
Maabar, which brought us to land. I then told them, that I was the messenger of their 
King, and that he was my relation ; upon which they landed us, and treated us very 
honorably. They wrote to the King on this, as I also did, telling him what had happened. 
After three days came an Emir from the Sultan, with a number of cavalry; for me they 
brought a palanquin and ten horses, to carry me. We then set out for the presence of the 
King, Ghiath Oddin El Damgani, who at this time enjoyed the supreme power in the 
Maabar districts. These parts formerly belonged to the Emperor of Hindustan, the Sultan 
Mohammed. They were then seized by the Sherif, 
Jalal Oddin Hasan Shah, who held 
them for five years. After this he appointed Alai Oddin, one of his Emirs, as his 
successor; but he was killed in a warlike excursion by an accidental arrow. After this, his 
brother's son, Kotb Oddin, came to the supreme rule; but he was killed, in consequence of 
his bad conduct. After this, one of the Emirs of the Sherif Jalal Oddin came into power, 
that is, this Ghiath Oddin, who married a daughter of Jalal Oddin ; the mother of which 
daughter was sister to my wife when I was Judge in Dehli. 
When I had got near his house, he sent one of his chamberlains to meet me ; and, when I 
entered, he received me graciously, and gave me a seat. He was at this time in his camp; 
so he erected three tents for me opposite those of his Judge, Sadar El Zaman. He also 
sent me a carpet, provisions, and presents. 
This was a very warlike prince ; and as he happened to be in the neighborhood of an 
infidel, whose army amounted to one hundred and twenty thousand men, an attempt was 
made to take these Maabar districts out of the hands of the Moslems. This infidel prince 
accordingly made an attack on the town of Kian, which belongs to the Maabar, and in 
which there were six thousand soldiers, put them to the rout, and besieged it. This was 
reported to the Sultan, and that the town was nearly lost. He then marched out with his 
forces, which amounted to seven thousand, every man of whom took off his turban, and 
hung it upon the neck of his horse, which is, in India, an intimation that they are bent 
upon death. They then made a charge upon the infidel king, while his men were taking 
their mid-day repose and besieging Kian, and put them to the rout. The greater part of 
them was killed ; nor did one, except the cavalry, or those who concealed themselves in 
the woods, escape. The Sultan was taken prisoner, his wealth seized, himself afterwards 
killed, and I saw his body hanging against a wall in the town. 
I then left the King's station, until he should return from his expedition, and came to the 
city of 
 
Fattan, winch is large and beautiful, and situated upon the sea-shore. Its harbor is 
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truly wonderful. In this city there are grapes and good pomegranates. I saw in this place 
the Sheikh Salih Mohammed of Nisabar, one of the fanatical Fakeers who suffer their 
hair to flow down loosely upon their shoulders. This man had seven foxes with him, all of 
which ate and sat with the Fakeers. There were also with him thirty other Fakeers, one of 
whom had a gazelle with a lion in the same place, which was unmolested by the lion. I 
then proceeded for the purpose of presenting myself to the Sultan at the city of Maturah, 
which is large, and not unlike Dheli. In this I found a great mortality, which had 
destroyed the greatest part of the inhabitants. The King, Ghiath Oddin returned at tins 
time to his palace sick, and soon after died. He appointed his brother's son, Nasir Oddin, 
to be his successor. In this place, too, I caught a fever which nearly destroyed me ; but, as 
Providence restored me to health, I requested permission of the King Nasir Oddin to 
proceed on my journey, which was granted. I then returned to the city of Fattan (Pattari), 
and thence by sea to Kawlam, one of the cities of Malabar, where I remained three 
months, on account of the sickness which had happened to me. From this place I set out 
to visit the Sultan Jarrmi Oddin of Hinaur, who had received a promise from me to return. 
The infidel Hindus, however, came out against us in twelve war vessels, between (the last 
place mentioned and) Fakanun; and, giving us severe battle, at length overcame us, and 
took our ship. They then stripped us of all. From me they took all the jewels and rubies 
given me by the King of 
Battala, as well as the additional presents of the pious Sheikhs, 
leaving me only one pair of trousers : and thus were we landed nearly naked. I then 
returned to Kalikut, and entered one of the mosques. When some of the lawyers and 
merchants, who had known me in Dehli, heard of my situation, they clothed and received 
me honorably. I then thought of returning to the Emperor of Hindustan : but I was afraid 
of his severity, and that he might ask me, why I had separated from the present. I then 
went on board another ship, and this pleased me, and returned to the Maldive Islands, on 
account of the little boy I had left there. When I had seen him, however, I left him in 
kindness to his mother. The Vizier then furnished me with provisions, and I sailed for
Bengal, which is an extensive and plentiful country. I never saw a country in which 
provisions were so cheap. I there saw one of the religious of the west, who told me, that 
he had bought provisions for himself and his family for a whole year with eight dirhems. 
The first town I entered here was Sadkawan, which is large and situated on the sea-shore.
The king of Bengal was at this time 

Fakhr Oddin : he was an eminent man, kind to 
strangers and persons of the Sufi persuasion : but I did not present myself to him, nor 
did I see him, because he was opposed to the Emperor, and was then in open rebellion 
against him. From Sadkawan I travelled for the mountains of 
Kamru, which are at the 
distance of one month from this place. These are extensive mountains, and they join the 
mountains of Thibet, where there are musk gazelles. The inhabitants of these mountains 
are, like the Turks, famous for their attention to magic. My object in visiting these 
mountains was, to meet one of the saints, namely, the Sheikh Jalal Oddin of Tebriz.
This Sheikh was one of the greatest saints, and one of those singular individuals who had 
the power of working great and notable miracles. He had also lived to a remarkably 
great age. He told me, that he had seen El Mostaasim the Caliph in Bagdad : and his 
companions told me afterwards that he died at the age of one hundred and fifty years ; 
that he fasted through a space of about forty years, never breaking his fast till he had 
fasted throughout ten successive days. He had a cow, on the milk of which he usually 
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breakfasted; and his practice was to sit up all night. It was by his means that the people 
of these mountains became Moslems ; and on this account it was, that he resided among 
them. One of his companions told me, that on the day before his death he invited them 
all to come to him ; he then said to them : Tomorrow I depart from you,